The UK drought could continue long term, the Environment Agency said this week and the Agency are asking people to conserve water where they can. The drought is putting wildlife at risk and measures are being taken to protect important wildlife sites.

A new survey published by Lloyds TSB Mortgages this week says property hot spots are are their lowest since 2008 when the economy was at it’s worse. House sales fell by 4% in 2011 and the area experiencing the biggest fall in housing sales was Tower Hamlets where sales were down by 22% in 2011.

Artwork taken during the Holocaust was returned to its rightful owners this week. A service was held in Tallahassee and attended by officials where they handed over the 400-year-old painting to a legal representative of the Gentili family.

At a press conference on Friday it was announced that work is to be undertaken in Ethiopia to protect cheetahs, wild dogs and lions. Their existence is threatened by many factors including disease and illegal hunting; the announcement means conservation efforts will be made to protect the carnivores’ future.

On Sunday it was announced that the UN had approved an observer mission which will mean 300 unarmed observers in Syria to monitor whether the cessation of violence remains in place.